Parachute flare



Patented Oct. v2, 1928.

war?

stir it. rat er DAYTON, omo. H

ranacnu'rn FLARE.

an mation filed-March 18.1924. Serial no.'70o,i o2. 1

This invention'relates to flares and more particularly to parachute flares adapted for usein night flying'for lighting up the ground when landing, or for lightin up the ground 5 in asimilar way to facilitat'eliombing by aircraft.

One of the principal objectsof the invention is'to provide a parachute flare which is certain in its operation and practically inlo stantaneous andherein the operation of launching the flare with its parachute is the operation which determines the subsequent ignition of the'flare candle, it having been found that a mechanical operation is far more reliable than'one which is automatic in its operation.

With the foregoing andother objects in mind, the invention provides an improved parachute flare embodying a novel arrangement for firing'or ignitingt-he flare candle as the'parachute thereforopens; a novel means for withdrawing or unpackingithe parachute as the flare is dropped; and a novel form of flare candle and ignition means for absolutely insuring ignition of the candle at the moment the flare is launched. J

The purpose and advantages of the inventionwill be brought out in the course of the following detaileddescription, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 ls-a'part section and part elevation of the flare and y v Fig.2 is a viewshow'ing the flare mounted on a plane preparatory to being dropped.

The flare candle 10, which is usuall of a magnesium compound, burns withja right light and at a ratherhigh temperature. It is ordinarily provided with a cardboard or pa- 40 per covering 11 andjn the presentinvention is encased in a metal container 12, of tubular form. The container 12 has a pair of bands provided with flare as a unit plane, emergency should. it be necessary tomake a forced landing approached the field where he desires to land. .The flare candle; when ignited gives, a very brilliant light and illuminates the ground .beneath for a considerable distance and en ables ,safe'landing. ,Elares of this type are also used in Warfare onbombing expeditions, when the flare serves in a particularly eflicient manner to enable objects on the ground to on the under side of an air lugs 13 for supporting the to be released by the pilot'in case of an or in any case when he has be 'distinguished from planes flyingat relatively high altitudes. The dazzling light affordedby-the flare candles in such cases is of a defiided advantage further in that the enemy territor is flooded 'withlight and the bombmg p anes are above the source of light andare therefore -notdistinguishab-le from the ground.

Thecasing 12 extends beyond therearward end of the flare candle 10 and affords a hollow receptacleafor a parachute 14 of any suitable or preferred form. The parachute 14 is packed after folding longitudinally andis laid Zigzag the depth of the recessprovided therefor, with the shroud lines 15 innermost. The parachute is arranged to be withdrawn from the casing by a pilot cord 16 attached to a convenient part of the airplane. 1 The cord 16 extends through the .peak of the parachute and for a considerable length lies inside the ,aigzag folds of the packed parachute so that it serves to withdrawthe parachute from its casing, without having a positive 'or rupturable connection: therewith. The cord 16 is knotted as at 17 where it enters the peak of the parachute inside the end of the" casing 12. A friction cap 18 removably 1 held on the opposite end of the casing 12 has a vent 19 through which the cord'16 extends. When the flare isdropped the lugs-- 13 are released f'rom the; conventional shackles and the flare a dropped. candle end first, due to the'cord 16 which delays the parachute end. The cord 16 becomes taut and the knot/17 insures the removal-'"ofthe cap, followed by the withdrawingof the parachute. The candle proper is held from endwise movement inside the casing 12-by a crimped portion 12" in the casing wall adjac ent the inner end of crimping is done suitably at thetimethe candle is assembled in the casing. The parachute shr'oud lin'es 15 are all connected with afconcentration ring 20having aneyelet 21 to which is attached one end of a metallic cable 22, connected with the rearthe candle. This wardend of thecandle 10 on an eyelet 23 riveted or otherwise held in the metallic end plate 24 ofthe candle. The cable 22 is wound into a roll and setin the depressed'bottom of the candle 10 and is of a lengthf'suflicient when extended to reach out beyond the outer end' of the casing 12 when'the parachute 14 is withdrawn and pens: A heavy cardboard or felt washer 25 segregates the'imetallic when lanuched from the plane.

i fulminate cap 29. This ignites a booster cable 22 from the linen shroud lines of the parachute to insure against chafing of: the latter. As a further precaution against possible injury to the parachute shrouds, the outer end of the casing 12 ispreferably spun over as shown at 26 to present round smooth edges. The cable 22 being of metal, further insures against the candle falling free of the parachute due to chafing with the metal casing when the flare is'floating in mid air.

The flare candle is normally held safe from ignition when mounted on the plane or when in storage. It is armed and'fired o-nly A firing pin 27, normally tending to move inwardly under the action of a coiled compression spring 28 to strike a fulminate cap 29 is held safe when in storage by a cotter pin 30 passing through the end of the pin 27 and through a guard 31 extending over the projecting end of the pin. The guard 31 serves to prevent shearing of the cotter pin 30 in case the flare is dropped or accidentally comes into engagement with something while in storage or in transit. These latter details are well known and in general use and need no further description- 'hen the flare is mounted in its'rack on the plane, an arming wire or rip cord 32 is entered through a second openingin the pin 27 and the latter preferably bent over slightly to insure that the wire will remain in place until the flare is dropped. The'cotter or safety pin 30 and the guard 31 are removed after the insertion of the wire 32. The wire due to the air entering the folds of the parachute, the end of the wire 32 is withdrawn from its position holding the firing pin 27 so that the latter is released and strikes the charge 34 inside a removable cap 35'on the front end of the casing 12. The booster charge 34 is normally held in a cartridge 36 behind a rupturable cap 37 and upon the firing of the cap 29 throws asheet of flame over the entire end of the flare candle 10. The

' ignition occurs with explosive violence and forces the cap 35 of the end of the casing 12. The sheet of flame is sufiic'ient' to ignite charges of highly inflammable material 38 extending in veins inwardly in the end of the flare candle 10 in holes 39 drilled to an appre-' ciable depth in the end of the candle. It has been found that with such a provision it is not necessary to alter the composition of the flare candle toward the igniting end and that field while heis gliding with a dead engine,

for example, a flare candle which throws a bright light the moment it is launched is highly desirable and a matter of a few seconds under such circumstances is of considerable consequence.

From the foregoing description, it will appear that I have provided a parachute flare which is absolutely positive in its operation and does not rely upon a sequence of automatic operations which may fail to go to completion due to some-irregularity, but operates mechanically from the moment it is launched.

The ignition of the flare candle is insured through a novel construction of the candle itself and further through a novel arrangement/for igniting the candle in proper rela-' tion to the opening of the parachute'which sustains the candle in mid-air. In operation, it has been found that the firing of the ignition charge with the resultant forward impulse to the candleoccurs at approximately the instant the parachute is opening which is ideal from the standpoint that the Hare is ignited at approximatelythe time the parachute is fully opened and the flare is sustained against rapid descent- The provision for opening the parachute is advantageous in that it operates without fail and Without danger of injury to the parachute and without in any way hampering the opening thereof. The flare being ignited and sustained at hardly an appreciable instant after it is launche'd at a sufliciently high altitude illuminates a con.- siderable area on the ground and the candle isgiven an opportunity to-be consumed almost entirely, if not entirely, by the time it reaches the ground with the parachute. The intense heat at which the candle burns is sufiicient to burn the metal container and affords a rising current of air to partially offset the weight tending to cause descent.

i I claim 1. A parachute flare for, droppage from aircraft comprising a candle, a casing-about the same extending beyond the ends thereof, a firing charge and firing means held in nor-' 'mally safe condition in one end of said cas ing. a parachute packed in the opposite end of said casing connected with said candle, a tube extending from the end of said casing to the parachute end, and an arming wire extending through said'tube fastened to the chute and releasably holding said firing.

means safe to release the same whenthe flare is dropped. I 5 2. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft, comprising a candle, a casing about the same extending beyond the ends thereof, a firing charge and firing means held in normal safe condition in one end of said casing, a

parachute packed in the opposite end of said casing connected with said candle having'a means connected with the craft releasably connected with said parachutcto withdraw the same from said casing in thedropp-ing of the flare, and an arming wire connected to said parachute and detachably engaging said. firing means for releasably holding said firing means safe to release the same when the flare is dropped.

3. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft, comprising a candle, a casing about the same extending beyond the rear end thereof,

a firing charge, a fulminate cap to set off the same, a self-acting spring pressed firing pin held in safe condition with respect to said cap, a parachute packed in the-casing behind the candle, and connected therewith, and an operating means extending between the opp'osite ends of said candle having connection :withsaid parachute at one end and releasably holding said firing pin safe at the other end to release the same upon the withdrawal of said parachute from said casing in thedropping of the flare.

i. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft,'comprising a candle, a casing about.

- the same extending beyond the rear endthereof, a firing charge, a priming means to set off the same, a self-acting spring pressed firing pin held in safe condition with respect a to said priming means, a parachute packed in the casing behind said candle, and connected therewith, an operating means extending between the opposite ends of said candle having connection with said parachute at one end and releasably holding said firing pin safe at the other end to release the same upon the withdrawal of said parachute from said casing in the dropping ofthe flare, and a cap on said casing enclosing said firing pin, priming means, and chargeadapted upon theignition of said charge to be forced off the casing.

5. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft, comprising a candle, a casingvabout the same extending beyond the end thereof to provide a parachute receptacle, a parachute therein, a pilot cord attached to the aircraft for withdrawing said parachute from said casing,' a cap on said casing to confine the parachute removable in thewith drawal ofsaid parachute by said pilot cord, a firing charge for igniting the candle, a priming means to set off the same, a firing means for said-priming means, and an arming wire normally holding said firing means safe having connections release the same when the flare is dropped. Q" .6. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft, comprising a candle, a casing about the same extending beyond the end thereof to rovidea parachute receptacle, a parac ute' therein, a pilot cord attached toIthe aircraft for withdrawing said parachute from said casing, a cap on said casing to confine the parachute removable in the withdrawal of said parachute by saidipilot cord, afiring charge for igniting the candle, a priming means to set off the same, a firing means for said priming means, an arming wire normally" holding the same safe havin'g connections to release the-pin when the flare is dropped,'and a cap on said casing enclosing said firing charge, priming means, and firing means adapted to be forced off in the ignition of said charge. r k v 7. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft, comp-rising a candle, a casing about thes'ame extendingbeyond the rear end thereof, ignition means for the candle at the forward end held safe during the carrying of the flare and fired when the flare is dropped, a parachute in said casing behind said candle and connected therewith, a pilot cord attached to the aircraft having a connection with said parachute only suflicient to with.- draw the same from said casing when the flare is dropped, a knot on said cord, and a cap on said casing confining said parachute'therein adapted to be removed by the engagement -with the knot on said cord as the latter withdraws the parachute from saidcasing when the flare is dropped.

8. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft, comprising a flare candle, ignition means therefor normally held safe when the flare is carried on the craft to be fired when the flare is dropped, a. casing extending rearwardl'y from said candle, a parachute packed therein, and a pilot cord secured to theaircraft entered through an opening in the peak of the parachute and packed for a portion of its length with the latter l 9. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft comprising a flare candle, ignition means therefor normally held safe when the flare is carried on the craft to be fired when the flare is dropped, acasing extending rearwardly from said candle, a parachute connected with said candle folded longitudinally and packed zigzag in said casing, and a. pilot cord placed between the folds of said parachute and having connection with the aircraft.

10. In a parachute flare, the combination of a flare candle, a parachute connected to-the rear end thereof, self-acting igniting means for the front end thereof, means to release said flare'wi-th the ignitable end down and with the parachute trailing, and a connection 'between said ignition means and said parachute for operating said ignition means when said parachute commences to sustain the candle, the connection comprising a pull wire extending from the parachute to the ignition means of said candle of a length to be pulled to release said ignition means for automatic operation as the shrouds of the parachute become extended and taut.

11. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft comprising a flare candle, ignition means therefor normally held safe when the flare is carried on the craft to befired when theflare is dropped,'a casing extending rear- .wardly from said c'andle,'a parachute connected with said candl'e folded longitudinally and packed zigzag in said casing, a pilot cord placed between the folds of said parachute having connection with the aircraft, a cap on said casing to confine the parachute there- 1n, havmg said cord entering through an opening therein, and a knot on said cord for removing said cap in the withdrawal of the parachute fron'rthe casing. I I

12. A parachute flare for droppage from 1 aircraft, comprising a flare candle, ignition means at the forward end of said candle normally held safe in the carrying of the flare on the craft to be fired whcnthe flare is dropped, a parachute container attached thereto extending from the rear end of said candle, a cable connected to said candle of a length sufficient to extend out beyond the end of said container, a relatively short pull wire detachably holding said ignition means safe, and a parachute having its shrouds connected mall to said cable and said Wireand packed in said container.

13. A parachute flare-for droppage from aircraft, comprising a flare candle, ignition means at the end of said candle normally held safe in the carrying of the flare on the craft to be fired when the flare is dropped, a parachute container extending from the rear end of said candle, a cable connected to said candle of a length sufiicient to extend out beyond the end of said container, a parachute having its shrouds connected to said cable packed in said container, apilot cord extending out from the open end of said container connected with said aircraft for withdrawing said parachute fromr the casing when the flare is dropped, and a cap on said casing for confining the parachute therein removed in the withdrawal of said parachute by said cord.

14. A parachute flare for droppage from aircraft comprising a flare candle,ignition means at the forward end of said candle norheld safe in the carrying of the flare 

